It's amazing - with the rain comes mushrooms. I photographed all of these mushrooms, around my house in NorCal, since the beginning of December. Some of them are the same mushroom, but in a different stage of life and-or show a different view. I don't know enough about mushrooms to confidently identify these beauts, so let's safely assume they are all inedible, proceed with caution and simply appreciate their beauty and diversity. Click a mushroom for an enlarged slideshow :)

PROVISIONS

To sterilize the jar, submerge it in boiling water for 5 min. or place in the oven at 250F for 10 min.

Use lemons from your tree or buy organic lemons. Depending on their size, you will need 1 or 2 lemons to preserve, in addition enough lemon juice to completely cover your lemons.

As I've mentioned before, about once a week I get together with two other artists to paint... whatever inspires us. Recently we've been exploring lemons.

As a surprise, this week before painting our friend, Elisa, taught us how to preserve lemons! So simple and so beautiful.

Once preserved, you don't actually eat the interior of the lemon, but rather use the rind. How handy to have beautiful, bright lemon rind available to add a bit of citrus to a salad, a curry or anything really.

I loved the simplicity of preserving lemons and thought it would be nice to share what I've learned because the holidays can be a complicated time and I think it would make an easy, beautiful hostess or holiday gift!

HOW-TO

On the end where the lemon once hung from the tree, cut a cross into the lemon - almost to the base, but so that the quarters stay together. Liberally pour the salt into/between the lemon segments. Insert the lemon into the airtight jar with the cross facing downward. Toss in 1/2 tsp of each the coriander seeds and peppercorns. Press enough lemons to completely submerge your salted lemon in juice. Seal the jar and store in the refrigerator.

The lemons will be ready after one month of preserving, and will last for about 2 years.

Et voila! Tie a beautiful ribbon around the neck of the jar or pop the jar into a bag with tissue paper - easy peasy.